Sacred Space + Cultural Studies
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Deciphering the ‘Jesus is Here’ Cave–Early Christian Worship, Sacred Space, and Hierophany at Horvat Beit Loya
New research by Brandon R. Ro explores a cave in Israel, possibly an early Christian worship site, featuring a Greek… Read More
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ARC 4530 – Culture and Behavior in Architecture (Spring 2025)
SPRING SEMESTER 2025 – UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY COURSE DESCRIPTION … Read More
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Recreating the Past-A Digital Exploration of the 6th Century Basilica at Horvat Beit Loya
This research project aims to digitally reconstruct the early 6th century Byzantine church complex at Horvat Beit Loya, often referred… Read More
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Discovering Ancient Sacredness: Exploring the Astro-Architectural Orientation of Christian Churches in Israel and Palestine
ABSTRACT: Churches have played a major role in society and are very specific to their religion. The very direction one faces… Read More
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Exploring and Mapping Ritual onto the Byzantine Church Complex at Horvat Beit Loya
ABSTRACT: The Beit Lehi (Loya) Basilica, a sacred site steeped in history, has captivated the attention of numerous researchers and archaeologists.… Read More
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Turning Towards the Lord: Latter-Day Saint Temple Astro-Architectural Orientation
ABSTRACT: This research analyzes the astronomical orientation of temples following the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.… Read More
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Exploring the Impact of the Divine – A Case Study on Sagrada Familia
ABSTRACT: Sacred architecture is created to leave an impression. To create a space that helps amplify and elevate one’s experience into… Read More
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National Museum of American Religion – 2024 Student Projects
Students were tasked to design a 100,000 square-foot proposal for the National Museum of American Religion in Washington, DC dedicated… Read More
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Archaeoastronomy at the Byzantine Church Complex at Horvat Beit Loya
NEW STUDY UNCOVERS ASTRONOMICAL SIGNIFICANCE AT BYZANTINE CHURCH COMPLEX – UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR EXPLORES CELESTIAL ALIGNMENTS AT ḤORVAT BEIT… Read More
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Abrahamic Sacred Architecture – 2023 Student Projects
Below are examples of several of my students’ design projects from ARC 4110 – Architecture Design Studio V which was… Read More
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Sacred Architecture Projects featured in the UVU Roots of Knowledge Gallery
Calling all architecture enthusiasts and art aficionados! The talented fourth-year UVU architecture students in ARC 4110 have embarked on an… Read More
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How to Read Sacred Architecture: Reinterpreting Architectural Roots at Jerusalem, Rome, and Salt Lake
ABSTRACT: Many sacred spaces have the ability to speak to us, inspire us to act, or even transform our understanding of… Read More
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Beauty and Transcendence in Architecture: Four Ideals for the Secular Age
I was privileged to deliver a conference paper titled “Beauty and Transcendence in Architecture: Four Ideals for the Secular Age”… Read More
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Theatrical and Spatial Modes of Presenting the Endowment Ritual in Latter-day Saint Temples
I was privileged to present a paper titled “Theatrical and Spatial Modes of Presenting the Endowment Ritual in Latter-day Saint… Read More
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Blending the Subjective and Objective Realms of Sacred Architecture at the Pantheon: Creating a Comparative Framework for Evaluating Transformative Experiences in Ritual Contexts
“Sacred spaces have the potential of creating lasting and meaningful experiences for human beings. Recent studies in neuroaesthetics and neurotheology… Read More
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ARC 4530 – Culture and Behavior in Architecture (Spring 2021)
SPRING SEMESTER 2021 – UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY COURSE DESCRIPTION … Read More
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Abrahamic Sacred Architecture – 2020 Student Projects
Below are examples of several of my students’ design projects from ARC 4110 – Architecture Design Studio V which was… Read More
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In Memoriam Lindsay R. Jones
Dr. Lindsay Jones was indeed a brilliant and notable scholar (a comparative historian of religion right up there next to… Read More
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Sacred Geometry in New Church Symbol
About six years ago I had a memorable lunch conversation with a couple of friends who were in the process… Read More
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Memphis Temple Watercolor Rendering
Below is a watercolor and ink rendering of the main east elevation for the Memphis Tennessee Temple. It was a… Read More
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Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple
BATON ROUGE LOUISIANA TEMPLE DESCRIPTION: The Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple was originally built in 2000. The newly renovated 10,890 square… Read More
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Raleigh North Carolina Temple
RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA TEMPLE DESCRIPTION: The Raleigh North Carolina Temple was originally built in 2000. The newly renovated 10,890 square… Read More
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Latter-day Saint Sacred Architecture: A Reading List
I have compiled a recommended reading list below as a helpful starting point for designers, researchers, and students interested in… Read More
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Temples as Text: The Swinging Pendulum of Shifting Ritual-Architectural Priorities
Earlier this month I was privileged to present the following peer-reviewed paper titled “Temples as Text: The Swinging Pendulum of… Read More
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The Hermeneutics of Gendered Sacred Space: Multivalent Perspectives from the Christian Tradition
I was privileged to present the following blind peer-reviewed paper titled “The Hermeneutics of Gendered Sacred Space: Multivalent Perspectives from… Read More
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Oklahoma City Temple
OKLAHOMA CITY OKLAHOMA TEMPLE DESCRIPTION: The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple was originally built in 2000. The newly renovated 10,890 square… Read More
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Paper Accepted to ACSF 11 Symposium
My paper proposal titled “The Hermeneutics of Gendered Sacred Space: Multivalent Perspectives from the Christian Tradition” has been accepted for… Read More
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Rome Visitor Center
Rome Visitor Center Rome Italy Temple Complex Architect of Record: VCBO Architecture Client: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints… Read More
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Archetypal Forms of Sacred Space
“Through history, architecture has been a means of mediating between the measureless cosmos and the scale of man, between divinities… Read More
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Rome Italy Meetinghouse
Rome Meetinghouse Rome Italy Temple Complex Architect of Record: VCBO Architecture Client: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1,500… Read More
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Paper Accepted to 2019 MHA Conference
My paper proposal titled “Temples as Text: The Swinging Pendulum of Ritual-Architectural Priorities” has been accepted for presentation at the … Read More
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Latter-day Saint Temples – Paintings and Sketches
Click on the individual images below for the full (uncropped) view Read More
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Memphis Tennessee Temple
Memphis Tennessee Temple DESCRIPTION: The Memphis Tennessee Temple was originally built in 2000. The newly renovated 10,890 square foot temple… Read More
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The Transformative Power of Sacred Architecture: Exploring Ritual-Architectural Priorities and Evidence-Based Design for Sacred Spaces
Today (October 23, 2017) I was privileged to give an invited guest lecture to graduate students in Julio Bermudez’s Sacred… Read More
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Templum Dei: Exploring the Language of Sacred Architecture
Any study in search of the language of sacred architecture will eventually come to focus its attention on the temple.… Read More
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The Mormon Temple Ritual-Architectural Experience: Connections to Jewish and Catholic Ritual Contexts and Sacred History
The Mormon Temple Ritual-Architectural Experience: Connections to Jewish and Catholic Ritual Contexts and Sacred History To watch the video presentation,… Read More
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The Sacred – A Design Charrette
The Sacred – Design Studio Charrette University of Utah, College of Architecture + Planning, Salt Lake City, UT Fall 2015 PROJECT CONTEXT Places… Read More
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Sacred Time as One Eternal Round: Understanding the Chiastic Pattern of Temple, Cosmos, History
What does temple architecture, the revolutions of the cosmos, and the narrative of sacred history have in common? It is… Read More
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Transcending Architecture: Contemporary Views on Sacred Space
I am pleased to announce the publication of a timely book on sacred architecture edited by my former Professor Julio… Read More
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What is a Temple? Mormon and Non-Mormon Architectural Perceptions
“What is a Temple? A Preliminary Assessment of Mormon and Non-Mormon Architectural Perceptions for Designers” ABSTRACT: The Mormon landscape is comprised… Read More
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Architecture, Cosmos, History: Lessons from Sacred Space
UPCOMING PRESENTATION “Architecture, Cosmos, History: Lessons from Sacred Space” WHEN: 12-1pm – July 22, 2014 WHERE: VCBO Architecture, 524 South 600 East,… Read More
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(Re)Interpreting the Cosmic History of the Mormon Temple Experience
“(Re)Interpreting the Cosmic History of the Mormon Temple Experience: Theological Connections between Jewish and Catholic Sacred Space.” Author: Brandon Ro… Read More
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Effects of Catholic Sacred Architecture on Transformative Human Experience
THE EFFECTS OF CATHOLIC SACRED ARCHITECTURE ON TRANSFORMATIVE HUMAN EXPERIENCE: A (Re)evaluation of Evidence-Based Design through an Empirical Test of… Read More
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Tale of the Tongs
Tale of the Tongs: Spirit of Place + Spirit of Design Architectural Installation: 200 gsf, $125k Location: Inishturk, County Mayo, Ireland Status:… Read More
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Learning Architectural History in situ: Italy Travel Sketches
Italy Travel Sketches Learning architectural history in situ is one method of gaining experiential knowledge. We took a group of… Read More
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The Idealized Temple Morphology: Surveying the Public Perception of Sacred Architecture
“The Idealized Temple Morphology: Surveying the Public Perception of Sacred Architecture” Author: Brandon Ro The Visibility of Research: Proceedings of… Read More
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Eternal Return – Nature Observatory
Eternal Return – Temple of Time: Observing Cycles of Time in Nature Potomac River, Washington, DC 37,500 sf Nature Observatory DESCRIPTION: The… Read More
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David’s Tower – Monastery
David’s Tower – Monastery: Between Heaven + Earth Potomac River, Washington, DC 17,500 sf Monastery DESCRIPTION: Sacred space for the third millennium… Read More
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Projects Published in Márgenes Arquitectura
The designs for a non-denominational funerary chapel for Washington, DC and a funerary urn for Donald Judd were just published in Spain… Read More
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Extraordinary Architectural Experiences: Comparative Study of Three Paradigmatic Cases of Sacred Spaces
Today I was honored to present a paper I co-authored with Julio Bermudez at the International Congress on Ambiances at… Read More
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Extraordinary Architectural Experiences: Comparative Study of Three Paradigmatic Cases of Sacred Spaces
Extraordinary Architectural Experiences: Comparative Study of Three Paradigmatic Cases of Sacred Spaces — the Pantheon, the Chartres Cathedral and the… Read More
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